A last hope
by CyberNetDrifter
Summary: can earth defend agaisnt a mahine army from another solar system?
1. Chapter 1

A last hope

charper one

'RICO, RICO get over here and keep your dam head down!'

'Their everywhere captain!'

'That's right, we need to get off the front lines and away from here ASAP or we're dead'

'Capt, look..there is a small opening over there between the buildings. should we make a B-line for it?'

'Alright on my mark we go for the buildings, lets hope it doesn't lead somewhere we can't escape from.' says Captain Templar with a hopful yet concerned voice

Captain Templar and Rico make a dash for a small opening between two fallen skyscrappers in a bid to survive a enemy ambush. The entire fire squad was wiped out in a swift blow by the machines! They both make it to the downed buildings only to find a group of Bravo company - they was suppse to be the escort unit to take the fire squad out from the fallen city.

Templar and Rico resectful stripped there fallen brothers and sisters of any ammo and useful items such as smoke and med kits, they also recovered any dog tags they could find, they also find a ATB with 6 shells(advaned tank buster.)

Rico with a worring voice asks the capt; 'what do we do now, sir? Our escort has been completly wiped out, we are out numbered, out gunned and nowhere to go!'

the capt stands up from one knee resting over a fallen brother, picks up his helmet from the ground, wipes his blood soaked hands on his leg, straps up his helmet and replies - the fight isn't over until every last fighting able person is dead, until then we push on, we keep fighting, we stick together and we will survive this, we will survive to tell the story to those who are not here yet, history will remember the brave, the ones that stood up and faught with everything they had, we are not only defending our country, we are defending the entire planet, our very exsistance depends on the fight we provide from here on out.' Resting one hand on Ricos shoulder.

The two start to head out, using extreme caution as they approach an open area knowing the machines could see and hear them long before they could hear them - it's how they managed to kill everyone in fire squad Aplha with a single sharp swift ambush.

'Capt...do you hear that?'

Using hand signals - Templar signals Rico to go right while Templar goes left...they both approach a bus on its side and approach the front of the bus with guns aiming direactly ahead of them, they both look inside the bus in sync with their standard issue AR856 and they are stunned to find a surviving spec ops trooper.

'identifiy yourself' Captain Templar says, keeping his gun raised towards the trooper

'spec ops trooper Sasha Lugas, lower your weapons within the next three seconds or be blow to a next life'

the nano carbon suit had a defence system placed in the suit so if the suit defected a hostile from behind the trooper it would automatically fire Sasha's targert tracking weapons and the hostile as the suit and troops were all connected to each other.

Captain Templar gave the order to lower the weapons

'What are you doing here, Sasha'? asks Templar

'I was en route to a firing squad trapped downtown, i heard over the radio there was a Captain by the name of Templar'...

Templar; 'why it this Captain so important to you?

Sasha replied - because his my ex husband

Sasha turns round and looks directly at Captain Templar, 'nice to see your alive, Calvin.'

'I'll give you two love birds a moment to catch up' says Rico

'NO' says Calvin, 'we need to keep moving towards the extraction area'

Sasha then says with a heavy voice..'there is no extraction, you are not the only reason i'm out here dont flatter yourself'

'What happened to the extraction zones' asks Calvin

'not sure, intel was sketchy but i need to get to sitcom for a detailed report on whats happening, your more than welcome to join if you think you can handle it? smerks Sasha

'if i can handle it? are you really...

'INCOMING' shouts Rico

Sasha activies cloacking on her suit and slips out the bus from a window while Rico and templar take up defensive poisitons inside the bus. A unit of machines are approachin from the north with there advanced weapons beaming the bus

Calvin and Rico begin to return fire, in short bursts in save ammo, they have no idea how to kill a machine they only know it can be done as they saw Sasha inside the bus holding ones head.

Sasha approaches the machines from behind with cloacking still enabled, the machines seem not to be able to detect the nano tech inside the suit. She then opens her interlink device on her left forearm, she activiates a short range EMP burst which short circuits the machines weapons but only for 15 seconds before power is restored.

Calvin then sees the machines weapons are down and yells 'RICO use the ATB on those metal heads'!

Rico lines up the shot with the cental unit and presses the firing trigger. a red rocket with a shark skin on it was then heading straight for the machines, a few moments later there was big boom and the machines was blown to scrap metal

'HELL YEAH bitch' says Rico

'that was awesome' says Calvin

the two share a high five

'nice job boys' says Sasha as all three looked out in to distance. They could bulidings on fire everywhere, a fallen ARK ship from space in the ocean in the miles ahead, they knew it was bad, very bad and they knew they had to regain control of Earths global defensive system or all will be lost.

12 hours before the machines arrive;

'Hey Capt, have you heard from the space station at all today? I'm suppose to be getting a call from Alina but nobody has heard anything from them in the last 6hours, they've also missed the last two check ins...im getting worried' says Rico.

'i'm sure everything is fine and it is just a glitch in the communications room, how about that drinking game last night huh? Pretty good, i noticed you had a good time with the squad instead of spending all the time in ythe gym. I mean look at you Rico, you're a goddam tank...if you get shoot the dam thing would probably just bounce right off you and hit me!' the two started to share a laugh and the mood lightned a little.

Captain Templar is walking towards the space coms building when he is called on the radio to attend an emergency meeting at space HQ! He says to himself outloud 'oh boy, this isn't going to be good!'

He then recalls what Rico asked him before about has he heard from the space station, they've been raido dead for the last two hours and missed the last check ins? check ins are supppose to happen every 12hours...could it be...no...it's too soon...

Rico returns to his bunk, where his fire squad sleeps when they aren't training...or drinking...or fighting each other. Nobody is there so he has some space to open his personal data tablet and watch back some videos of him and Alina, his wife.

The bunk door slides open and in walks some his squad memberes all cheering and laughing, they notice Rico and try to cheer him up by showing him why they're all laughing. Buck shows Rico a video of last night where Rico is trying to poll dance outside the miliary camp with his whole squad and Captain standing by watvhing him to do. Buck then says while laughing 'hey, you guys ever watched the Hulk try to shag a street pole? Yeah me neither but it goes like this..pointing at the video.

6 hours before the arrival;

Captain Temaplar and all high command are in space command, deep inside an unnamed mountain.

'General' says Templar

'Ahh, Captain Templar, nice to see you again..after all these long pressing years'.

'Yes sir, it's nice to see you too though i wish it had been under better conditions'.

'Yes well, what can i do for you Captain?'

'premission to speak freely, sir?'

The general nods his head

'Sir, the space station...it was repurposed back in 2167 to detect the machines in the helldrive system, correct?

The general looks straight in to Captain Templar eyes and says 'Templar, between us two..that rust bucket up there is nowhere near advanced enough to detect enemy movement until they are half way through out door at moon base 45, which is located somewhere just pasted Mars. If the machines have found a way to completly bypass our moon bases then we must use the orbital defensive system...the only problem with that, is that some idiot thought it would be a great idea to have the command unit in the space station.'

'Sir, the commander and chefi advised all military units to be on high alart and bare ready for arms...the machines aren't meant to be here for another 15years...at least that's what our scouts reported two years ago!'

'And when was the last time we heard from our scouts in the helldrive system Captain? I understand coms take a few months to transmite, but it has been almost 6months since last contact with our scouts, i fear the worst.'

'I understand General, I'll head back to base and brief the lads on the situcation here.'

'Rogar that Capt, oh but hey listen...do not tell Rico about the situcation on the space station, stick to your training and only tell them what you have been told to tell them, this is a covert operational training excirise to test troop readyness.'

'Yes sir, i understand.'

the two men salute each other before shaking hands and walking in different direactions.

3hours before the machines arrive;

Captain Templar arrives back at base Norad, he puts our a radio call

'All units of fire squad Aplha report to briefing room on the double'

As the squad rushes around the bunks to get in uniform to report to Captain Templar, a very loud earth shattering explosion happens in space and can be seen from the ground, everyone inside buildings are hit by smashing glass and flying objects. Those that wasn't knocked down by the blast rushed outside to see what happened, the base alarms start to sound, tanks strart to roll from the holding area, advanced jets start to take off and the base is put on combat ready status - meaning all order are cancelled and every solider on the base is to report to the armoury for weapons assignment and gear load out.

Captain Templar was knocked off his feet and struggles to come true as he suffered a blow to the head upon impact with an ammo crate, he slowly struggles to his feet where he can see the entire sky is on fire from the space station being blown up. His eyes are dazed, his sight is blurry and ears are ringing from the shockwave created.

This is no drill he says to himself.

As he shakes off the shockwave, the Capt heads over the armoury where his firing squad is awaiting his orders.

'Fall in troops'

the squad then takes up a briefing stance with Rico front and centre of Captain Templar.

'Now lads, i won't stand here and lie to your faces and tell you something that isn't true. What i am about to tell you has come direactly from high command - we are at war with the machines from helldrive system! About 36 hours we lost all conatct with the space station and...everybody on board.' Says Captain Templar looking Rico dead in the eyes.

'Curently we are unclear on what exactly has happened but from the from few minutes its clear this was not an communication problem, i understand you're all scared and have family out here, or up above but this is not the time for second doubts, each and every one of you needs to be in this fight from this moment on wards, report to the desk sargent to get your assinged load out and weapons and report back to me. You have 10 minutes and then we move out to provide exvile downtown. Move out!

fire squad Aplha report to desk sargent for there assigned weapons and equipment while Captain Templar is attempting to gain coms to high command for orders but all he can hear is static over the radios - once again, he says to himself 'this is not good at all'.

Captain templar is waiting by the transport truck as Aplha squad approaches in a hurry ready for action, they embark on the truck and start heading downtown

33mins later - the truck has reached its point downtown at plaza delta - a staging area for Bravo company.

'Hey Capt' says Buck

Templar looks back and looks around at his men 'go ahead Buck'

'why you got us walking through city streets on patrol when nobody is even here?'

' it's called patrolling the area, stupid'

Buck becomes the laughing joke taking over from Rico's street dancing the previous night

'HAHA, hey Rico, i got a joke for you buddy...

'cut the chatter Buck, don't forget we were just attacked by machiens from helldrive system 100,000 light years away and didn't even see them coming, your chatter could alert them to this location if they've landed already!'

'sorry sir'

the squad are walking through downtown approcahing a big open junction with no cover when a sudden screatch from a rocket could be heard flying past them and exploding around 10 meteres away from them. The squad scramble for cover behind some trees and cars looking around trying to find contact when Buck looks uop in the sky and could see some kind of transport coming down from the sky

'Look, its an ARK ship' says Buck

'what the fuck, ARK ships are meant to be patrolling the outter rings of moon base 39' says Templar

'this is bad, this is really fucking bad' says Rico and Buck

they all look up at the ARK ship when it releases a payload of rockets down towards the ground where Aplha squad are currently holding

'HEAD FOR THE BUILDINGS, MOVE MOVE MOVE' shouts Templar urging his men to find cover before the rockets hit

they take shelter inside an office building bracing for impact, they could hear an unknown jet sound approaching outside, Templar looks out and sees the machines for the very first time onboard their own transport flying through the skies, the rockets from the ARK ships makes contact with the machines ships and sends them crashing towards the ground.

As the squad cheers in mainly discort knowing now the machine war is real, knowing they have landed without being detected, what hope could they possible have?!

Templar begins to walk towards the exit of the building where some machine parts are laying on the ground, he slowly looks up towards the ARK ship and what he sees then sends shives deep inside his bones...it was an enemy RIFT ship. It looked like twice the size of our ARK ship, it was so large in fact Templar could see the enemy ships rocket doors opening from the sky, as the frendly ARK ship started firing all missle, rockets and even the small cannons at the RIFT ship...it didn't seem to have any impact. There was smaller aircraft surrounding the ARK, this was friendly units trying to escape the ARK ship...as he could see friendly small transports head down there was a blinding red flash after a few seconds it dimmed. The bliding red light was that of laser fire from the RIFT ship detorying the tranport ships, moments laters he could see a barrage of rockets being fired from the RIFT ship direactly in to the ARK ship.

within moment of the first rocket hitting the ARK ship, it start to fall out the sky, you could see the fire begin to spread around the ship, parts of metal started to fall off, smoke was pooring from all over, as the ship fell the fire got bigger and more intense. All the squad couild do was stand there and watch as thounsands of lives were lost right before there very eyes.

The ARK ship was soon engulfed in flames and falling towards earth. After a minute or two falling from the sky, the ARK ship laid rest on earth which looked like it was in the ocean, you could still see the orange/red glare from the fire, thick black smoke was flowing in to the sky as more rockets from the RIFT ship continued to fire at the ARK ship although the ARK was no longer in the sky.


	2. Chapter 2

chapter two

Alpha squad are approaching two fallen skyscrapers to meet up with Bravo company who was sent to pull Alpha squad from the city as the clear presence of war which was now clearly active and all military persons were being pulled and returned back to base for further orders.

The sky was orange, there were no birds flying, there was no wind, nothing, only burning buildings for as far as the eyes could see, there was a strange smell in the air though...it is not a small Captain Templar, Rico, Buck, Jason or Collin has ever smelt before.

it kinda smelt like fuel mixed with some kind of plasma discharge, little did Alpha squad know what they are smelling was actually the machines. As the squad moved down the road towards the skyscrapers, Templar attempts to reach Bravo company on the radio but there was only static..moment later the squad can see two Humvee, one ATV and a patrol military vehicle parked up ahead.

'Buck, Jason, Collin...go check out them vehicles and look for any sign of Bravo company or a working radio, me and Rico will pull up the rear.

'Yes sir' replied the men

'Capt?!'

'Rico?'

Rico looks at the Captain with a worried and sad facial expression

'Rico, she's okay. Norad reported seeing some life pods being flown away from the space station a few hours after radio silence, i'm sure she was on one of them pods, now get your head in the game i need you with me, understood?'

'Yes sir, sorry'

'no nee...'

Captain Templar breaks talking, his eyes catch a flicker of a reflection from the sunshine in a near building - it was the machines

'INCOMING, BREAK AND TAKE COVER'

seconds later the machines had fired two rockets towards the Humvee, where the other squad members were. The rocket was a direct hit in the middle of the three men...

Rico broke line of the sigh with Templar as he took shelter behind a tipped car, he was returning fire as he saw with his very eyes the rocket exploding next to his brothers

'NOOOOOO' shouts Rico holding down the firing trigger of his LMG 8900 hitting off a hail of AP rounds towards the machines, tears start to run down the troopers face while his finger was still engaged with the firing trigger of his weapon

Captain Templar was hit the shock-wave of the rocket exploding at a close range from him, as he struggles to regain control of himself he can see Rico laying down on the ground firing his weapon towards the machines, the machines start to run for cover as the bullets from Rico gun start to penetrate the machines armour.

Templar rolls to cover behind a wall

'RICO, RICO get over here and keep your dam head down!'

'Their everywhere captain!'

'That's right, we need to get off the front lines and away from here ASAP or we're dead'

'Capt, look..there is a small opening over there between the buildings. should we make a B-line for it?'

'Alright on my mark we go for the buildings, lets hope it doesn't lead somewhere we can't escape from.' says Captain Templar with a hopeful yet concerned voice.


	3. Chapter 3

chapter three

As Captain Templar, Rico and Sasha look in to the horizon, with the ARK ship down, the coastal line set a blaze, a RIFT ship in orbit..the three look around at each other

'this is our fight, the fight that will end all fights, this is our last stand, we are the last hope, we will push on, we will find a way and we will win this war' says Captain Templar with a heavy heart.

'What's the plan Capt?'

'we need to get back to Norad to regourp and we supply.'

'Captain, i can join you and Rico on your mission if you need my help? Central command was hit right after the first machies landed and i am unable to reach high command. Hopefully Norad has a working radio or some way to communitcate with command so we can get our next objectives.'

'We would be honoured to have a spec ops troops with us, Sahsa. Welcome to fire squad Aphla.

'Glad to be here'

'Sooo...do i call you mummy and daddy now?' says Rico in a sarcastic voice

'Take point Rico'

'Ahhh fuck.'

As the squad head off towards Norad they can see the UEM jets attemoting to mount an offsive against the RIFT ship currently in orbit.

'Do you think they can bring it down?' Asks Rico

'i doubt it but we need to strike back whereever possible as a show of strengh.' Says Templar

a few hours later;

The team continue to make gorund towards to Norad when they start to approcah an old weapons factory.

'Rico, lets check out the old weapons factory, maybe someone got lazy and left some toys behind. You take left, ill go right, Sasha you bring up the rear.'

'Templar, maybe i should take a look before we go in? I have nano tech which can cloack my don't forget. we don't know what or who could be inside!'

'Good idea, ok. Sasha goes in the front door, Rico take left and i'll go right. We will meet up in the central control room stay in radio contact, copy?'

'Yes sir'

They take there routes in to the building making three different way to the central control room

'status report, over'

'Rico hear, all clear on the left'

...

'Sasha? Report Sasha!'

'Sorry, i have found a small group of squadies inside the changing rooms, there Captain is dead, there guns are dry to Capt...it looks like they've been pretty beat up.'

'Rico, get to Sasha location on the double and provide any assistece if needed, i'm going to the control room...get some lights on in here!'

Rico arrives at the lockers rooms where Sasha is waiting outside.

'Why you waiting outside, Sashs?'

'Errr...i would give them a few moments in there...we can't bring the Captain...you know?'

'I understand, Templar is more than a Captain to me too.

'yeah...his great'

'what happened between you two if you don't mind me asking?'

'Well Rico, Templar was so caught up in making Captain for his career his personal life kind of took a back seat but while he was become the man he is today and me the women i am today. I was approached by the spec ops branch about a year before Templar made Captain and i was extended an offer to join and become a advanced weapons and tech trooper. I told them i am very interested and that i could start training after rotation, they accepted.

So one night me and Templar got in to it really bad after he found out i accepted without speaking to him about it first but he didn't once speak about the Captain role...anyway a long story short...our careers took the paths they were meant to take and that meant out marriage suffered for it.'

'Oh wow, i'm sorry...but hey everything turned out kind of alright i guess? i mean who knows where you guys would have been if things went a little different?'

'Rico, live life with no regrets and take chances now and again.

'Guys, i need you in the contorl room...NOW!'

Rico and Sasha rush towards the control room, guns drawn and ready for combat..they burst in the room only to find Captain Templar, holding his helmet with one hand and pointing towards the live update screen with his other hand..

'They destoryed the moon bases, our planet defence system is dead in the water, literally! We have no reinforments anytime soon. All remaining ARK ships have been ordered to retreat and hold space staging station Scarlette until futher orders.'

'What does this meam? Asks Rico in a worried voice

'It means, all we have is each other now until they can send help...which may take a while.' Replies Sasha.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

A few months later;

The old SATCOM base has been in use as the base for the head quarters of the human resistance against the machines, the battles for this ground has been intense and for the most part, relentless.

The science teams have been working with nano tech to introduce a more advanced trooper in the battlefield, previous test subjects have not been successful with the transition between human and the unknown. The science team have been working to try to create a human which can be inter-linked with nano tech on the inside, making a more advanced super trooper.

Captain Templar is now General of the resistance as all high command are now known to be dead, Sargent Rico is now acting Captain of the newly formed Dragon squad, spec ops trooper Sasha Lugas was stripped of her rank following the formation of the resistance, she now known to be the assassin. General Templar marks high value target for elimination at key stages or locations in order for the resistance to grow in number and strength...but the machines are also using newly adopted tactics to combat the resistance!

Test subject 104 - chief science officer

'Test subject 104 was recently brought in from fence combat about two weeks ago from multiply stab wounds caused by the hunter machine which uses reinforced hardened steel to shred through any armour our fighters can carry. After the trooper was fully aware of their condition, is was her dying wish that she undergoes this operation for the resistance, unfortunately the procedure was a failure, test subject began to show signs of major distress as the nano tech was remapping her DNA.

As a result of this, we have made a breakthrough and we strongly believe the next subject will be successful.

'Control, control...come in control!'

'Go for control'

'Bravo Hotel 98 here, we have hostiles on our six, get a welcome party sent the landing zone it'll be a hot approach'

'Roger that Bravo Hotel 98, a welcoming party has been dispatched to the landing docks, do you have the package?'

'Package is in toe, just make sure we have a welcome party, over!'

The attack transport bird is approaching HQ when its struck down by enemy fire, the bird starts to spin out of control .

'Bravo hotel 98 going down, i repeat we are going down with the package, send reinforcements to this location, NOW!'

'Reinforcements inbound Bravo Hotel 98, hold tight ETA is 4 minutes'

'We'll be dead in two, over!'

As the emergent message was broadcast on all channels, Sasha had picked up the communications between the transport and HQ. Sasha closes her eyes and locks on the birds location using her advanced eye metrics, this was a type of map system built in to the subject eyes so aid in search n rescue or search and destroy...the technology behind this came from the machines. As time went on, so did our understanding of the machines tech;

We adapted, we used there own tech against them.

Sasha was now faster, stronger, smarter and even more dangerous with the advanced human tests been successful in her, she was the one and only to survive the procedures...so far!

'This is Sasha Lugas'

'The assassin?!' Asks the radio men

'I'm en-route to the downed black hawk ETA 35 seconds, i need a restock crate sent to this location before i can engage with the machines...do you have the location i have sent you for the supply drop?'

'Yes...but...this location...'

'Just send the fucking crate or you'll be responsible for the deaths of 6 troopers and you'll be the reason we loose the package, now do your job and SEND ME THE DAM CRATE!'

'Crate is en route, over!'

The silo doors suddenly spring open at the base and from the tube comes out a small metal squad box shooting from the ground with 4 booster rockets attached to the bottom, it was the supply crate Sasha had requested moments ago.

The crate shoots in the air, makes a sharp stop right above the base then all of sudden it blasts 45* towards the drop location, it propels itself forward using the rockets attached to it...the payload reached mark 9 within seconds of laughing.

Sasha looks up as she is sprinting towards the downed bird, she can see the resupply above her when the rockets rotate and bring the crate to a complete stop in mid air. The on-board control system in the crate begins to track Sasha and then opens itself while still in mid air, the contents begin to fall, Sasha pulls up her left wrist and plays with her control panel attachment on her left wrist. The control panel is talking with the weapons currently falling from the sky...out of nowhere the weapon falling come to a complete stop around head height, Sasha approaches them while still running towards the downed black hawk when these metal arms come out of Sasha's suit and grab a plasma rifle floating in the air and attaches it to Sasha top right shoulder while the left claw grabs a mini rocket launcher and attaches it on her right shoulder.

Sasha activates stealth mode on her nano suit and leeps over a broken wall from a building right in to the crash site where multiple machines are running towards the black hawk, she can see all the transport troops are dead along with one of the pilots...

Sasha's HUD begins to flash red, indicated multiply hostiles within close range of her location, the weapon system can not fire while in stealth mode..

The remaining pilot is trapped in the cockpit of the black hawk when he can see all the machines surround his bird, he has no idea Sasha is right there with him only a mere 11 feet away, he begins to check his weapon, he knows he will die soon but he still wants to fight until the last breath!

The pilot frantically load his weapon and wishes his death will be quick...when Sasha begins to uncloak..the pilot can not believe his eyes, as the nano tech begins to fade away, the weapons attached to Sasha begin to fire at will at the machines, one by one they fall.


End file.
